I Promise
by AndromedaMarine
Summary: A series of promises Wayne Rigsby makes to Grace Van Pelt. Primarily Wayne/Grace pairing, will be mentions of Teresa/Patrick. May be a tad AU...sorry if it is. 6/6 completed. ALL DONE!
1. Chapter 1

**I Promise by AndromedaMarine**

_Chapter One_

_I promise to watch out for you. _

Frankly, Wayne Rigsby resented Patrick Jane's bluntness when it came to Grace Van Pelt. Or Teresa Lisbon and Kimball Cho, for that matter. Rigsby loved his team at the CBI, and told himself every morning to watch all their backs whenever they left the building on a case. But mostly he told himself over and over to keep his eye on Grace – err, Van Pelt. After six months on Lisbon's team, Wayne pulled Grace aside. A harrowing case had just been closed – a case that Wayne noticed affected Grace more strongly than it should have.

The relative darkness of the office floor injected a bit of nervousness into Rigsby, but he took a deep breath and grasped Grace's elbow before she left the room.

"Rigsby?" she said, glancing from his hand on her elbow to his eyes.

Wayne checked over Van Pelt's shoulder to make sure Lisbon and Jane were already gone from the building. "Hi," he started weakly, momentarily forgetting to release her arm. "I...um...Gra – Van Pelt, I just wanted to tell you that..." He hated being nervous, especially around Grace.

She smiled, trying not to look slightly amused. The corners of her eyes crinkled.

Though encouraged and just given more confidence by Grace's smile, Wayne was still a little unsure of himself as he placed his open palm on her shoulder. "That I promise to watch out for you." He let his hand fall away from her.

"Rigsby... That's very nice of you, but I'm fine. Really."

"G – Van Pelt, I can tell this case was different for you..."

Grace groaned. "Please don't turn into Jane – he's one mentalist too many for the CBI, let alone our team." Her voice softened, and she managed to smile again at Wayne. "And it's after hours. You can call me Grace."

"Grace." He touched her arm lightly, then flashed a shy smile and left the building.

_I promise to watch out for you._


	2. Chapter 2

**I Promise by AndromedaMarine**

_Chapter Two_

_I promise to keep you safe._

Gunfire rattled around them, but Wayne and Grace stood hunched behind the government issued SUV. He heard the glass shatter as bullets slammed into the car, but it felt and sounded distant – far away. His hands left his ears and reached out to Grace, and pulled her towards him just as a bullet flew at her. She froze in his arms, shocked at how close to death she'd come.

Wayne heard Lisbon screaming orders for the suspects to cease fire, but no one would listen. He watched as Teresa relaxed – the SWAT team pulled up and set up barricades; ambulances screeched into the police zone, but the CBI team was shaken. Rigsby sighed in relief.

With Grace still wrapped in his embrace he looked around, and saw his boss leaning over Jane on the gurney. Patrick wasn't dead, no, but he'd been hit in the arm, and Van Pelt and Rigsby watched as Teresa waved them off and leapt into the ambulance with the mentalist. The gunfire finally stopped, and Wayne could hear again.

With all thoughts of shyness gone, Rigsby pulled away from Grace but kept his hands on her arms. "I promise to keep you safe," he whispered, and led her to another ambulance to make sure she wasn't hurt.

Grace gave him a small smile, and whispered an inaudible "thank you" up to the man who had pulled her from death's path.

Kimball Cho looked on the two with seeming indifference; but really, he knew exactly what was going on. Wayne liked Grace. Grace liked Wayne. They just didn't really know it yet.

Rigsby replayed the scenario, but wondered what could've happened had he not wrenched Grace towards him.

Instinct, he told himself. Instinct.

_I promise to keep you safe._


	3. Chapter 3

**I Promise by AndromedaMarine**

_Chapter Three_

_I promise to stand by your side._

Teresa Lisbon, being the absolutely best boss on the planet (in Wayne Rigsby's opinion), sent Van Pelt and Rigsby as partners for the past four cases. This enabled Wayne to stay close to Grace, something he never really had a chance to do before. He knew he shouldn't let his feelings (whatever feelings existed) for her cloud his judgment when storming into suspect residences. So he took the lead. He wanted her to stay behind him, so she wouldn't be in the direct path of any gunfire or other projectile weapons.

They pulled up to a warehouse with a team of police officers to back them up. "I'll go in first," Grace said firmly, conveying that it wasn't a question. She would go in first.

Wayne took a sideways glance at her. "You sure? I mean, I could go in first..."

Grace shook her head. "You can cover me. Watch my six. But I'm going in first."

He nodded, however reluctantly. "All right." They exited the suburban and took positions, Rigsby right behind Van Pelt. He leaned forward and placed a hand on her upper arm. "I promise to stand by your side. We do this together."

Grace twisted her head to look at him. She smiled and gave him the smallest of winks.

In they rushed. "Federal agents!"

Trust, he knew they had. Trust, he knew would last. Trust would keep them together.

_I promise to stand by your side._


	4. Chapter 4

**I Promise by AndromedaMarine**

_Chapter Four_

_I promise to protect your heart._

Wayne knew Jane usually stayed the latest, but after seeing Lisbon and Jane head to the elevator together with their shoulders closer than normal, Wayne knew Cho's assessment was correct. The boss liked the mentalist. But the relationship between agent and consultant didn't bother him – what bothered him was Van Pelt, still at her desk, with her head in her arms as the last few people left for home. Rigsby hated seeing Grace so raw and vulnerable, especially right after a case like the one just closed.

He didn't know how to approach her, even after being honest with her for a few weeks. Wayne stood by her desk, his hand hovering over her shoulder unsure of his actions. He finally just let his palm rest on her shoulder. He felt her freeze beneath his touch, but instead of lift his hand away he ran it down her back.

She shuddered. "Wayne," she said to the desk in a voice so heart wrenching the man didn't know what to do. "You should go home and get some rest," she finished, still not lifting her head to look at him.

Rigsby didn't want to leave. So he pulled up a chair and sat next to her. "Not unless you do," he said plainly, surprised at his own lack of nervousness. He felt confident. "You don't have to cry to a desk, Grace. I'm here."

Grace lifted her head, and Wayne saw he'd been accurate. Her eyes were red and blotchy, and the mascara she'd so delicately applied that morning ran in streaks down her cheeks. She sniffed. "That's sweet, Rigsby. I just need to be alone."

"If you needed to be alone you would've been the first to go home," Wayne pointed out softly. "I hate seeing you hurt like this," he said quietly. Grace at first wasn't sure if she'd heard him correctly or not. "It doesn't take a Patrick Jane to figure out how close to home this one hit."

"You're not going to turn into Jane, are you?" she asked with a weak smile.

He shook his head. "Nah. But if you'll let me, I promise to protect your heart. Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on, Grace. I'm offering mine." For a moment he thought that Jane would be proud to know the agent was building confidence around her. But the thoughts drifted away when they rose at the same time and Rigsby enveloped her in his arms.

Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on. After all, if he was hers he wouldn't have to fight off guys like Dan the lawyer.

_I promise to protect your heart._


	5. Chapter 5

**I Promise by AndromedaMarine**

**Author's Note: I'm very sorry about the horrendously long update, but here's chapter five!**

_Chapter Five_

_I promise to always be here for you._

Tragedy struck everyone sooner or later. Grace fought back another wave of tears because of the fact hers came sooner. She was pretty sure Jane knew why she didn't show up for work that morning, and she'd remembered to send Lisbon an email with as few details as possible, but what about Cho and Rigsby? What would she tell them? More importantly, _how_ would she tell them?

----

At the CBI Headquarters, Lisbon sat with Jane on his couch, their shoulders pressed together. "You think we should tell them?" she asked, observing Rigsby and Cho argue about who would win the World Series.

Jane stared at her. "They have increasing bet pools on it. I don't see any reason to spoil the fun of watching them lose their money."

Teresa jabbed his side. "Not about us, Patrick. About Grace, and her email this morning."

"Oh. That. Maybe. How would Rigsby react? It was a pretty heavy email." He'd read over her shoulder while simultaneously giving her a neck massage earlier that morning.

"He loves her, Patrick. He promised to look out for her. She needs a shoulder to lean on. Rigsby's will do."

"You're gonna order him to go see her?"

She shrugged. "It's not like he doesn't want to go. He just needs that little push... Plus we should tell him. He sort of deserves to know."

"Can I? Tell them, I mean." He wore puppy dog eyes.

"All right, but I'm telling Rigsby he should go see her. The last time you gave him advice you weren't so benign about it."

Patrick shifted so their legs touched too. He saw the two arguing agents glance their way to assess the scene. Jane loved confusing them. He patted Teresa's knee, stood, and ambled over to Rigsby's desk, where he and Cho sat. "Gentlemen," Jane said somberly, observing them. "Grace won't be in today. Her mother passed away in a car accident last night."

Wayne stared up at him. Cho's face flickered with a small wave of shock, but the impassiveness returned as quickly as it had gone.

Teresa appeared by Jane's side. "Agent Rigsby, would you mind checking on Agent Van Pelt? We don't have a case today so please stay with her as long as she'll let you."

Rigsby nodded numbly, first from Jane's words, then Lisbon's request, though it sounded more like an order. He left the CBI building, and twenty minutes later parked outside Grace's apartment complex, nervously swallowing the lump in his throat. He rode the elevator to the sixth floor, loosed his tie as he stepped out of the lift, and shuffled to Grace Van Pelt's door. He knocked three times.

Grace looked through the peephole, utterly shocked to see Wayne Rigsby standing at her door on a workday. She opened the door slowly, her eyes locked with his. "Wayne?"

"Grace."

"What are you doing here? Don't you have work?" She realized she was still in her pajama bottoms and thin tank top. She wiped her eyes, trying to hide the evidence of her tears over her mother's death.

Wayne slid past her into her apartment, and Grace shut the door. "Boss asked me to check on you."

"She told...you what...what happened?" Grace crossed her arms over her chest.

Wayne scratched the back of his head, eyes nervously darting around the room. "Jane did. Lisbon sent me. I'm so sorry, Grace." He whispered the last part. Without thinking she moved towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing her face to his chest. He put his arms around her, pulling her closer and stroking her hair. He could feel her crying into his shirt, and he couldn't help but feel just as sad. "I'll always be here for you," he whispered into her fiery hair, dropping a kiss to the top of her head. "No matter what."

_I promise to always be here for you._


	6. Chapter 6

**I Promise by AndromedaMarine**

**Author's Note: This chapter makes the story complete! Click ze little button at ze bottom... Iz like my morphine/caffeine drip... :)**

_Chapter Seven_

_I promise to love you._

Wayne wanted to kick himself. Or punch himself, whichever seemed easier as opposed to less painful. Grace's desk had no Grace, Jane's couch still had Jane, and Lisbon (who was supposed to be studying cold case files) seemed quite interested in Jane's shoulder. Cho was...well... Cho was Cho. Enough said.

Rigsby knew exactly where Grace was. He'd wanted to go with her, but knew it rude to ask. The funeral would start in about four hours. She'd taken the earliest flight out to Ohio to be with her family. Wayne knew Grace would fall apart sooner...or later. Probably sooner.

Jane rose from the couch like Dracula, and made a beeline for Rigsby's desk. He leaned over the caseload, grunting in Wayne's face. "You should go after her, big man."

Wayne nearly choked on his coffee, and looks up to stare at him with questioning eyes. "Excuse me?"

"She's gonna be crying her eyes out up there, with no one but family to hold her, and they'll also be crying." Jane stood up straight, suddenly becoming extremely interested in his fingernails. "I said you should go after her. Be there for her. You do...love her, right?"

Wayne choked on his coffee. His face now a brilliant red, he wished Jane would shut up. But he didn't want to admit to the whole room that Jane was right. Jane was right. So he got up, and walked over to where Lisbon sat. "Boss?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you care if I take a week off?"

She waves her hand at him without looking up. "Go ahead. We have Cho and Jane, and no cases."

Of course, Jane had it all figured out. And Lisbon had arranged beforehand to not have a caseload for a week. So Wayne takes off.

----

Grace stared in surprise as Wayne drove up her parents' driveway with an hour until the funeral. "What...what're you doing here?" she asked quietly when he got out, trying to keep the tears from marring her cheeks again. She'd only just wiped them away when he pulled up the drive.

Wayne stood in front of her, and tucked a stray tendril of fiery hair behind her ear. "I couldn't just let you go through this alone."

And she falls apart. Her sobs fill the air, and the agent pulls Grace into his embrace.

"I'll always love you," he whispered into her hair, his arms still tight around her body. He didn't want to ever let go.

And to Grace, it was as good as a promise. "I love you too," she returned in a whisper, closing her eyes to stem the tears, and letting herself relax into his warm, comforting embrace.

_I promise to love you._


End file.
